Ohio road racing is struggling (basically two big time crits - Hyde Park and Tour de Grandview - and a smattering of parking lot stuff) but the gravel races are gnarly and the MTB racing exists (I don’t MTB so I can’t speak for it directly but there is a series all over the state and some other random events).
Come down and do Black Fork and Funk Bottoms 200k and we’ll have that chat 
Deal 
Just wanted to comment that the MN MTB Series has released their 2024 schedule:
Looks like Spirit Mountain is out and Bertram Chain of Lakes is in, otherwise I think it’s very similar to last year.
You’re the IA expert. Best events in the NE quadrant of the state?
I love the driftless region. Curious to explore what’s south of there.
#1 on my list would be The Driftless 100. Know the organizer, grew up in the area, fantastic riding IMO. Hoping to race it this year, have a 500mi ultra at the end of March so we will see how I’m feeling, I’d really like to get a ‘sub-7 branding iron’
Snaggy Ridge 105 is another great one out of Tipton, IA. Look them up on Facebook, it went very informal in 2023, not 100% on its status for 2024.
Colesburg Back 40(used to go by the Colesburg Gravelpocalypse) is a great labor day weekend race.
Waukon 100(km) is a great course and a decently run event.
Hopefully you weren’t looking for paved events🤣, I’m not aware of much in that arena in the area anymore. There was TOMRV, that was back to back centuries(Davenport to Dubuque, then return the next day) but that ended after 2022 IIRC.
I’m out for Driftless 100….have a work event down in FL that weekend.
At least I’ll be guaranteed warm weather, I guess….
I rode the Diriftless 100 last year and switched to the 60 miles route. Great route and scenery.
I vacationed at a cabin on a lake in Sayner a few years ago and the area is beautiful. I would love to come back and race this.
No Filthy 50 in 2024! 
I read it as maybe coming back in the future. Great race, sad it is not offered this year. They did bring back the DAMn though.
Still happening in MI.
Has anyone completed Dairy Roubaix? I wanted to give it a try and have never done a gravel race. I was going to put some gravel tires on by Trek Boone that has a max tire clearance is measured ~38 mm. Does anyone have a tire recommendation?
38 for WI/MN gravel should be fine. They only time it gets weird on those roads is when they are freshly graded (after winter) and the whole road is a deep pit of soft rock…
Midwest according to me, Spring Fling is firing up in Kansas City (actually Lawrence)
Denied! Not the Midwest.
First year on trainerroad and doing structured training so interested to see how things go. All races in Michigan and I’m sure I’ll add more but for now:
March - Melting Mann 35
April - Barry Roubaix 36
May - Hart Hills 24
May - Arcadia Grit and Gravel Big Grit
June - Lumberjack 100 (A race and first year)
June - Coast to Coast 100 (with my wife)
July - Cedar Blitz 36
November - Iceman (of course)
Watching MI-XC YouTube races with my music during intervals has been gold for my training.
Please let me refer you to the appropriate geography, also known as the Midwest Manifesto
I will specifically call your attention to the following passage regarding the state of Kansas:
“Lastly and importantly, from a cycling perspective … Unbound (the artist formerly known as the Dirty Kanza) is NOT a Midwest race. And to the West Coast goofballs who created the Belgian Waffle Rides, the ‘BWR - Kansas’ is NOT “The Hell of the Midwest” … they’re from San Diego, so maybe I shouldn’t be surprised they don’t know better.
For these two reasons (among others) Kansas is permanently excommunicated from Midwest consideration. Best of luck to you in future endeavors.”
Just got signed up for Melting Mann for the first time. Looking forward to kicking off the racing season in the dirt.
54 days till Barry